Sheikh Abdullah DaghistaniThe Concept of the Seal of Saints.Sheikh ul Akbar Muhiyudin Ibn al Arabi has in his book Futuhat i Makkiya (TheMeccan Revelations) written about the concept of Khatm ul Awlia or the Seal ofSaints. According to him all the Prophets and Saints are from the Light of the Spirit of Muhammed and are its manifestations. The Spirit of Muhammad is the beginning andending of the entire Spiritual Hierarchy. Adam (alai) was its first manifestation and theProphet Muhammad (Sal) himself was the last and most complete manifestation of theSpirit of Muhammad. Prophet hood reached its height and completion in the Prophet Mohammad (Sal) and therefore in the hierarchy of the Prophets he was the most complete and greatest.In the case of the Seal of Saints what distinguishes the Seal of Saints from all theother Saints and Prophets is that the Spirit of Mohammed is completely and fullymanifested in the Seal of the Saints and that he is the final entity of the SpiritualHierarchy to whom the Spirit of Mohammad is directly passed. Unlike the Seal ofProphets where Prophet hood was sealed after the Seal of Prophets in the case ofthe Seal of the Saints, sainthood shall continue after the Seal of Saints. Saints willcome after him.Sheikh Muhiyudin Ibn al Arabi means by the Seal that only the Saintship which comes from the Mohammadan heritage (Irth Muhammadi) has been sealed which means that there will be other Saints after the Seal of Saints but that they will not be the immediate Spiritual Inheritors of Mohammad instead they shall be the heirs of the other Prophets or Saints through the channel or mediumship of the Seal of Saints.Sheikh ul Akbar Muhiyudin Ibn al Arabi also says that the Seal of Saints like the seal of Prophets was in existence from pre eternity when Adam (alai) was between clay and water. He also says that the internality or the inward aspect (batin) of the Seal of Saints is the same as that of the Prophet Muhammad (sal) and that all spiritual knowledge come to all other Prophets and Saints through the channel and mediumship of the Seal of Saints.The Identity of the Seal of SaintsThe information that we have about our Grandsheikh Moulana Abdullah FaizDhagistani is mainly from the lectures of his Grandsheikh who was SheikhSharafuddeen Dhagistani (ral) who was also his uncle and also from the lectures from Grandsheikh Abdullah Faiz Dagistani himself and Moulana Sheik Nazim. Sheikh Sharafuddeen said that as soon as Sheikh Abdullah was born the eye of his heartwas open and that Sheikh Abdullah was able to speak of the Heavens up to theThrone of Allah Almighty Himself which includes the knowledge of our Earth and theSeven Heavens as well. This means that he can give the knowledge of all of creation which Allah Almighty opened for him and for Prophet Muhammad (sal) and for all of the Saints.At the age of seven Sheikh Abdullah would effortlessly speak about the highest ofSpiritual knowledge so much so that when his Grandsheikh Sheikh Sharafuddeenasked him as to how he could speak on these very high knowledge he answered that these words came to him from the Divine Presence itself like they were written in front of him and that he had only to look at those words and speak about it. Sheikh Abdullah could at this age speak on Spiritual knowledge that had never been opened by anyone before him. Sheikh Abdullah said regarding this that if he was to reveal the deep secrets and Divine Knowledge (ma’rifatullah) that he had in his heart even the Saints would misunderstand him and have him killed.Sheikh Abdullah was ordered by his Sheikh to get married when he was fifteen years old. Six months after this he was ordered into a seclusion by his Grandsheikh for a period of five years. Such was the severity of the training that Sheikh Abdullah received. All in all he is reported to have done at least twenty seclusions during which his spiritual rank increased to great heights never before attained by any one before him. The Ocean of SaintsSheikh Abdullah was the Ocean of the Saints so much so that the Light of Prophecy and the Light of Sainthood (wilaya) passed from the heart of Prophet Muhammad (sal) to the heart of Sheikh Abdullah and it was from the heart of Sheikh Abdulla that like a channel these Lights and knowledge came to all the Saints who lived from the time of Adam (alai) upto now and it shall continue in this manner until the coming time of the Day of Judgment. It was Sheikh Abdullah who dressed all these Saints in all their stations (maqams) and ranks. No Light of Sainthood was given by Prophet Muhammad (sal) to any Saint except through the heart of Sheikh Abdullah. This was the situation even before Sheikh Abdullah was born into this world.Sheikh Sharafuddeen also said that the spiritual reality of Sheikh Abdullah is like the reality of Seyyadina Abu Bakr Siddique (ral). Just as Seyyadina Abu Bakr Siddique(ral) was with Prophet Muhammad (sal) from pre eternal times so was SheikhAbdullah with Prophet Muhammad (sal). When Allah Almighty made the Light ofProphet Muhammad (sal) to appear and to manifest, the lights of Seyyadina Abu Bakr Siddique (ral) and the Light of Sheikh Abdullah also appeared at the same time and they accompanied Prophet Muhammad (sal) from the time when no creation was yet created. This was the time when everything was in the Oceans of Knowledge of Allah Almighty. This means that Sheikh Abdullah was accompanying all the Prophets and all the Saints during all the past centuries.Sheikh Sharafuddeen said that as Prophet Muhammad (Sal) is the Seal of theProphets so is Sheikh Abdullah the Seal of the Saints. This does not mean that noSaints will come after Sheikh Abdullah. There will be other Saints coming after him. Therefore what the Seal of Saints means is that all the Lights of all the Saints before and after must come through the heart of the Seal of the Saints who is Sheikh Abdullah. All the Saints from the time of Adam (alai) up to the Day of Judgment had to have received their Lights through Sheikh Abdullah and it was Sheikh Abdullah who also dressed them in all their stations (maqam) and ranks.Sheikh Sharafuddeen further said that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Sal) has made Sheikh Abdullah to be in a station (maqam) and a rank in which not one of the children of Adam (alai) had the capability to step on and to put their foot in this station (maqam) or rank. Sheikh Abdullah was the one who dove deep into the oceans of wisdom, secrets and realities of the Divine Oceans of Unity of Allah Almighty with the help and support of Prophet Mohammad (sal) the Seal of Prophets.The Medium and the ChannelSheikh Abdullah was the one who took these secrets, wisdom and realities and gave them to all the Saints past and present. Sheikh Abdullah is also the one who was teaching the secrets of the Holy Quran to Sahib uz Zaman Seyyadina Muhammad Mahdi (alai) on the orders of the Prophet Muhammad (sal) as Sheikh Abdullah had this promise given to him on the day of promises so as to be able to reveal the secrets of the Holy Quran to all creation during the time of Mahdi (alai) by his spiritual reality. The angels and jinns follow Sheikh Abdullah and accompany him and do what Sheikh Abdullah wants them to do. They will do as he wants by the order of Allah Almighty and by the order of Prophet Muhammad (sal).Sheikh Abdullah was so close to Allah Almighty and to the Prophet Muhammad (sal) that there were no veils between Sheikh Abdullah and the Prophet Mohammad (sal) and also no veils between Sheikh Abdullah and Allah Almighty. If he was to ask anything from Allah Almighty then it would be granted to him as Allah Almighty will say “what is it that you wish for my sincere servant, I will give it to you.”The secrets of the Holy Quran are only to be recited now and not to be revealedexcept during the time of Seyyadina Mahdi (alai) and Esa (alai). It shall be revealedat the end of time during the period of Mahdi (alai) and Esa (alai) before the day ofjudgment and this shall take place through the channel of the Seal of Saints who isSheikh AbduSeyyadina Muhiyudin Ibn al Arabi in his book Futuhat i Makkiya says that at last Allah Almighty will change the blessings and inspirations of the whole world by His greatest name which is the name which will be opened so that Allah Almighty makes the earth to carry this burden of Allah Almighty. He will open the secret of His greatest name at that time. Allah Almighty is going to appoint and to send the Ghauz or the Qutb who’s name is Abdullah to settle in Damascus and he will be like a pillar when Allah Almighty inspires him and looks at him. The Prophet Muhammad’s spirituality will be with him at that time. He will be accompanied by this spirituality. He shall only speak by translating with the spirituality of the Prophet Muhammad (sal) to anyone who is around or beside him. After the passing away of Sheik Abdullah this 'trust' (amana) was dressed on Moulana Sheikh Nazim to carry this trust till the coming of Seyyadina Mahdi (alai) and Esa (alai) when the spirituality of Sheikh Abdullah will appear again and will reveal all these secrets.Sheikh Abdullah said that he is the one who is serving Allah Almighty and ProphetMuhammad (sal) through the Naqshabandi way. He was serving all the children ofAdam (alai) up to the time of death and all what he gained during his lifetime as good deeds he has promised to the Prophet Muhammad (sal) that they be distributed tohis nation who are all the children of Adam (alai).The Sultan ul Ad-dhikrThere is a manner in which the Holy Quran is recited that is known as Sultan ul adh- dhikr. This type of recital of the Holy Quran is only done by the highest rankingSaints. This recital of the Holy Quran is done with all the secrets of the Quran and its inner realities which mean that the person reciting the Holy Quran in this manner isreciting it with the secrets of everything in existence from the very beginning to thevery end.The number of times that the Holy Quran was recited in this manner by the Saintsalso defers according to the rank and power of the saint reciting it. Shah Bahauddin Naqshaband was able to complete the recital of the Holy Quran in this manner nine hundred and ninety nine (999) times during his entire life. Sheikh Ahmed Faruq Sirhindi did this nine thousand nine hundred and ninety nine (9,999) times during his life time. Sheikh Sharafuddin was able to do it nineteen thousand nine hundred and ninety nine (19,999) times.Sheikh Nazim said that with every inhalation Sheikh Abdullah recited the Holy Quran in this manner and also with every exhalation in this manner which means that heused to complete the recitation of the Holy Quran in this manner twice in everybreath. Such was the spiritual rank and power of Sheikh Abdullah.The Supreme SacrificeSix months before Sheikh Abdullah passed away which was during the Islamic month of Muharam in the year of 1973 which was on a Friday he came to the mosque where he is buried now and he made the kathm ul khawajagan or the Naqshbandi group zikr. While doing this Zikr he was crying profusely. He then gave a lecture in which he said that on that night the Prophet Muhammad (sal) told him that the children of Adam (alai) and his nation specially this last nation are going to be so weak in their Iman (faith) and so weak in their worshipping. That they will be following their desires and their egos and that they will love this world and this life. That they will not be following Allah Almighty and the Prophet Muhammad (sal) and they will not be following the Saints.The Prophet Muhammad (sal) said “So there is no way that they will be saved fromhell except and unless an Awlia (saint) of the highest rank sacrifices himself and takes upon himself all their badness and all their sins. They are running away from Allah Almighty and from me and they are cursing all kinds of religions. If such a saint who belongs to this highest rank sacrifices himself on behalf of them Allah Almighty has given me a promise that he will save all of them and all their unbelief, rejection, sins and badness will be taken over by this high ranking saint.”The Prophet (sal) further said that he could not say about the future of this highranking saint and that therefore he could not guarantee what would be the condition of this high ranking Waliullah who sacrifices himself thereafter. Allah Almighty may send him to hell or paradise as the Prophet Muhammad (sal) said that he did not know what the condition of this great saint is going to be after he so sacrifices himself.The Prophet (Sal) also said that there is no saint who is of that required highest ranks the present except sheik Abdullah who could make that sacrifice. The Prophet (sal) said that he is not in a position to ask any one to do this sacrifice as he could not guarantee to him as to what Allah Almighty would do to this saint. Immediately Sheikh Abdullah said, “As you like my beloved Seal of Prophets, I am going to sacrifice myself for your nation”. Two or three months after this incident Sheikh Abdullah passed away from this life.The Merciful PleaderSheikh Abdullah was one of the most generous of people. He loved the poor andorphans. He not only served the nation of the Prophet Muhammad (sal) but heserved all the children of Adam (alai). He said that he is serving all the children ofAdam (alai) and that he will act as their lawyer and pleader on the Day of Judgmentwhen Allah Almighty will be the Highest Judge and hold His Court. On that day theProphet Muhammad (sal) will act as the intercessor and Sheik Abdullah shall act as their lawyer or pleader and plead with Allah Almighty on their behalf.Allah Almighty appointed Sheikh Abdullah to be the lawyer in the court of AllahAlmighty not only for the Muslims but for all the children of Adam (alai) as well. He will be with them in the Divine Presence of Allah Almighty and his spirituality will befollowing every one of the children of Adam (alai). Especially during their time o death when their souls come up from their hearts to their throats Sheikh Abdullah will spiritually appear to them and make them to except Islam and make them recite the Shahada Kaleema. He will change all of them to depart from this life with the blessings of Allah Almighty and the Prophet Muhammad (sal) and he will give them the good tidings of this. Their end will not be as people now believe. These are secrets that cannot be revealed until the coming of Seyyadina Mahdi (alai) and Esa (alai). The Returning by RealitiesInsha Allah Sheikh Abdullah will be returning. He has this promise from the Prophet (sal) that he shall return in his reality. The realities of the Prophet (Sal) and therealties of all the Prophets and Saints shall return by their realities during the time of Mahdi (alai) and Esa (alai). They shall be returning by their realities which are by their Lights. The reality of Sheikh Abdullah too shall be accompanying the realities of Seyyadina Abu Bakr Siddique and Prophet Mohammad (Sal) till the end of time so as to be with Seyyadina Mahdi (alai) and Esa (alai). Sheikh Abdullah said that on the Day of Judgment when Allah Almighty is going to fold the heavens and to take the earth by His hands that Sheikh Abdullah would be the one who would present all this into the hands of Allah Almighty. This would be when the Angel Israfil blows his horn.The First DeathSheikh Abdullah said that he had already passed away before during the time ofSultan Abdul Hameed who was the last Caliph of the Ottoman Empire. During thistime they were conscripting soldiers for the army. It fell to Sheikh Sharafuddin theGrandsheik of Sheikh Abdullah to also join the army. Sheikh Abdullah was however exempt from joining the army as he was the only son in his family. These were the rules at that time. Sheikh Abdullah however said that on behalf of his Grandsheikh Sheikh Sharafuddin that he would sacrifice himself and join the army instead. This meant that Sheik Abdullah would go on behalf of his Grandsheikh Sheikh Sharafuddin to fight on behalf of the Ottoman Empire. When Sheikh Abdullah was in the battle field in the front lines a bullet struck his heart and settled in it. He passed awSheikh Abdullah later said about this incident that he saw the Angel of Death and that he died and went to the heavens and that he saw everything over there. He said that he saw the Prophet Muhammad (sal) bowing during the night journey when he was ascending to the Divine Presence of Allah Almighty. He said that he also made a sajda (prostration) with the Prophet Muhammad (sal) at that place. After seven days the Prophet Muhammad (sal) told Sheikh Abdullah that he must now return back to his body. He said that his soul must enter into his body again as he had plenty of time of his life left to serve. To this Sheikh Abdullah replied “OhRasoolullah, please forgive me, I am in these highest stations and I don’t like to return back to this life.” Sheik Abdullah said, "At the time before my death I was in the station of annihilating myself in my Sheikh. Then the Prophet Muhammad (sal) ordered my Grandsheikh Sheikh Sharafuddin . Sheikh Sharafuddin then ordered me to enter into my body."Sheikh Abdullah described how his soul entered into his body which was in a swollen state. When his soul entered into his body he started to cry out “Allah, Allah”. At this time some doctors belonging to the Ottoman Empire were passing by the body of Sheikh Abdullah which was lying there with thousands of other bodies. They saw Sheikh Abdullah and said, “This person is not breathing well but his heart sounds as if it is beating”. So they kept their ears on the heart of Grandsheikh and saw that it was beating weakly. Then they him carried away from the battle field and put him into a hospital. The Doctors could not perform an operation as it was not possible to go into the place where the bullet was embedded and remove the bullet. Due to this they had to make a cover like a cocoon over it near the heart. The Death of a MartyrThis is why Grandsheikh said that he will be meeting Allah Almighty on the day ofjudgment with something that gave evidence of and witnessed that Sheik Abdullahhad performed Jihad and died a martyr. That he had fought for the sake of AllahAlmighty and Rasoolullah (sal) and for the sake of “La ilaha illallah” to be raised allover the world. Allah Almighty then blessed Sheikh Abdullah and gave him goodtidings that he shall remain till the end of time up to the time of Seyyadina Esa (alai). But for the reason mentioned earlier due to Sheikh Abdullah sacrificing himself on behalf of the nation of the Prophet Muhammad (sal) he had to pass away. He shall return by his reality and not by his physical body during the end of time because he must accompany the Prophet (sal) by his reality until the Day of Judgment. So Sheikh Abdullah shall return by his reality.The Most Pleasing Return to Allah AlmightySheikh Abdullah said that when he passes away from this life physically and when his Sheikh orders him to leave this life, Allah Almighty shall take his soul with his own hands and such lights will shine over his body which can never be described. When his body shall be placed in the grave Allah Almighty shall return his soul and he shall go to the Prophet Muhammad (sal). This is why Moulana Sheikh Nazim buried his Grandsheikh Sheikh Abdulla with his own hands and after the burial he ordered everyone to go out of that place. Only Moulana Sheikh Nazim remained with him. Moulana Sheikh Nazim said later that he saw Allah Almighty and Prophet Muhammad (sal) returning the soul of Sheikh Abdullah to his body. He said that all the one hundred and twenty four thousand Prophets, and the Sahaba (the companions of the Prophet) and all the Saints (Awliya) came to his grave and thereafter the Prophet Muhammad (sal) took him to his Spiritual Station (maqam) . These are the secrets that Sheikh Sharafuddeen gave us through his lectures andalso the Prophet Muhammad (Sal) gave as good tidings in the Holy Assembly ofProphet Muhammad (Sal) to the Saints about the last Sultan ul Awlia who is the Seal of Saints. After Sheikh Abdullah passed away we were given Moulana Sheikh Nazim who inherited the secrets and the maqams of Sheikh Abdullah and no one is also able to reach to the rank and maqam of Moulana Sheikh Nazim.May Allah Almighty Bless Our Grandsheikh Abdullah.